Council to consider options for City Hall relocation
**This content is protected by copyright and a paywall. Subscriptions are one per email and sharing screenshots or copying content is a violation of the federal DMCA.**
By Brandi Makuski
Stevens Point — Members of the Stevens Point Common Council on Monday will enter into closed session to discuss the possible relocation of City Hall.
Mayor Mike Wiza said the yearslong consideration is up for discussion only and no vote will be taken on June 17.
Wiza said shortly after the municipal election in April, the new City Council was brought up to speed on the status of the joint ownership of the County-City Building, of which the city owns 27 percent, and past discussions on the possibility of moving out.
Recent talks were spurred by county concerns over updating security in the building, recently expressed publicly by Judge Louis Molepske, Jr.
Early this year, County Executive John Pavelski announced hiring Dewberry Architects for a building-wide facility study. While previous studies have examined the county’s footprint, it’s the first to consider the entire facility.
Under the terms of the Dewberry contract, $166,330 would be paid out to complete several phases of the project — preliminary workshop, concept design scope, structural engineering, and formal concept report. The report is expected to be unveiled at this week’s Space and Properties Committee.
Although the city is considering its options, Wiza said he’s unsure about recent comments made by County Board Chairman Ray Reser and Sheriff Mike Lukas on the possible relocation. Reser told the county’s Finance Committee earlier this month that he and the city had discussed an “accelerated timeline,” which Wiza said he knew nothing about.
He and Lukas also disagree on a proposal to close the western public entrance of the building so the sheriff’s office could locate a screening station on the first floor on the east side. Wiza claims simply closing a set of fire doors on the second floor would successfully separate the city and county wings of the building, but Lukas doesn’t believe it would be effective for various reasons.
“I am not going to question his accuracy. I am saying there are ways that I believe this will work way better than what they have now, and provide better security to the courtrooms with minimal impact to the operations and still providing public access to the city side of the building,” Wiza said.
Wiza also emphasized that “city offices will remain downtown” and said the city had “several options” but declined to say what those options were.
The Council meets at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 17, in the Community Room of the Stevens Point Police Department, 933 Michigan Ave. The public is welcome to attend.
